BAFTAs announced with good turn out for SF

The BAFTAs were announced tonight in London, with Heath Ledger and WALL-E amongst the recipients

The Orange British Academy Film Awards (film BAFTAs) took place this evening, Sunday 8 February 2009, at the Royal Opera House in London.

Although it was Slumdog Millionaire's night, SF movies did well too. Full results here . Pixar's WALL-E picked up Best Animated Film, meanwhile Best Supporting Actor went to Heath Ledger for The Dark Knight. The Curious Case Of Benjamin Button trousered awards for Production Design, Special Visual Effects and Make Up & Hair. Meanwhile the gong for Best Short Animation went to Wallace And Gromit: A Matter Of Loaf And Death, seen on telly on Christmas Day.

The Orange Rising Star Award went to one Noel Clarke, who'll you'll remember as Mickey from Doctor Who as well the films Kidulthood and Adulthood. The Orange Rising Star Award's unique as it is the only BAFTA to be voted for by the public.

Awards also went to those celebrated movie-making venues Pinewood Studios and Shepperton Studios, for Outstanding British Contribution To Cinema; meanwhile an Academy Fellowship was given to Terry Gilliam for his lifetime achievement - following over three decades in the business, the legendary writer and filmmaker is currently working on The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus (2009) and The Man Who Killed Don Quixote (2011).

BAFTA was founded in 1947 as The British Film Academy and in 1958 it merged with The Guild of Television Producers and Directors to form The Society of Film and Television, which eventually became The British Academy of Film and Television Arts in 1976. The Academy's awards are in the form of a theatrical mask designed by American sculptor Mitzi Cunliffe, which was commissioned by the Guild of Television Producers in 1955. Find out more at the official site .

Terry Gilliam picture by BAFTA/Richard Kendal. Mask award picture by BAFTA/Marc Hoberman. Thanks to the official BAFTA site for pics and info.